Show restraint in 'Big Bang' coverage, channels told

September 11, 2008 20:28 IST

With television channels going overboard with their coverage of the 'Big Bang' experiment and speculating about its 'catastrophic effect on the world', the government has stepped in and issued an advisory to two TV channels, asking them to exercise restraint.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued an advisory to two television channels -- Aaj Tak and India TV -- earlier this week, for 'showing content that appears to be spreading panic and fear'.

A ministry official told PTI that the advisory has been sent quoting Sub Rule 6 1(O) and 6 (5) of Cable Television Network and Regulation Act 1995, related to unrestricted public exhibition; and programme affecting children,

respectively.

The

official added that the ministry has issued the advisory to the said TV channels as an act of first warning to the channels on its own, though normally it acts on complaints received from people regarding objectionable content being shown on TV.

"But on certain occasions, when it is felt by the ministry that the content regulation guidelines are being violated, we issue such advisories," the official said.

Incidentally

the airing of the Big Bang experiment on television channels and various interpretations being done on it by television channels allegedly led to the death of a farmer's daughter in Madhya Pradesh.

According to media reports, the 16-year-old girl, daughter of a farmer in Sarangpur village in Rajgarh district of MP, died after she consumed some pills on seeing the 'world coming to an end' prediction on the neighbour's television.

Indian

Broadcasting Foundation and News Broadcasters Association have also been intimated by the ministry about the advisory.